Dispensing-can.



H. W.v 'J. GRUBTTNER.

DISPENSING cm.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 15, 1912.

Patented Oct. 7, 1913.

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HENRY W. J. GRUETTINER, OF VALLEJO, CALIFORNIA.

DISPENSING-CAN.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY W. J. GRUETT- NEH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Vallejo, in the county of Solano and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dispensing- Cans, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in dispensing cans particularly intended for ground coffee and other substances which give ofi an aroma and as a result lose their strength, and has for its object to provide a can, which is so constructed that the contents can be removed a little at a time without causing the substance to lose its virtue. With this object in view, the can is provided with an outlet in the bottom and means for closing the outlet, while its top is so constructed as to render it impossible to stand the can on its top, and hence the outlet in the bottom must be kept closed when the contents are not being removed.

It consists in certain features of construction, and a certain combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully set forth and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a can, constructed in accordance with my invention, showing the can in its closed position. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the can in the same position as Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the lower portion of the can with the discharge cup or receptacle lowered for discharging the contents of the can, the view being taken at right angles to the view shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the discharge receptacle or cup.

Referring to the drawing, which illustrates the preferred embodiment of my invention, 5 designates the can, which is preferably made from a single piece of tin with a cylindrical body 6 and a conical end or top 7 but this end may be rounded or oval as found most convenient, the object being simply to prevent the can from being stood on its top.

To the lower edge of the body 6 is secured the bottom 8, which is inset so as to be within the plane of the lower edge of the body. The bot-tom comprises an outer annular ring portion 9 and a removable cap portion 12. The ring portion is flanged over the lower edge of the body and is there- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. May 15, 1912.

Patented @ct. 7,1913.

Serial No. 697,481.

by permanently secured thereto. The inner edge of the ring portion 9 is bent downwardly and inwardly and then upwardly to tending flange let, the outer edge of which is bent over upon itself at 15, forming an annular groove 16. The removable cap portion 12 is pressed up into the circular space until the bottom of the vertical wall 11 abuts against the bottom of the groove 16 and is then held securely in position by frictional contact.

Preferably to one side of its center, the cap portion 12 is provided with an oval aperture 17, and slidably mounted therein is a tubular cup or receptacle 18, which is oval in cross section and designed to have a close working fit in the aperture. The cup is provided with an open upper end and in one side with a centrally disposed circular discharge opening 19. In order to prevent the displacement of the cup it is provided at its top with a right angular flange 20, which serves as an abutment to engage the inner face of the removable cap portion 12 and limit the downward movement of the re-. ceptacle. The bottom 21 of the cup is pref-.

erably of thicker or heavier metal to insure that the cup will drop quickly, and is extended out beyond the sides of the receptacle to form a flange 22 to limit its upward. movement.

To insure a tight closing of the discharge cup a washer 23 of leather, rubber or other suitable material is secured around the outer face of the aperture 17 for the flange 22 to contact with. A spring arm 21 has one end pivotally mounted centrally of the outer face of the removable cap portion 12, and is bent down and then bowed or curved upwardly to form a presser member, which can be swung so as to bear against the bot-- tom of the cup 18 to hold it in a closed position.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that I have produced a can for domestic purposes which will prove very satisfactory for ground coffee and other sub stances, which give off their aroma and hence rapidly lose their strength, for in my can the outlet is in the bottom, and as the aroma is lighter than the air it will always rise to the top of the can. In use it will be found that the contents of the can will readily flow into the discharge cup 18, which will descend by gravity when the spring arm 24 is moved out of engagement, and that the contents of the can will to the last retain their full strength by reason of the fact that the construction of the can renders it necessary that the outlet cup shall be pushed up into place and secured by the spring arm.

While I have shown the can provided with a removable bottom section, it is apparent that a non-removable bottom could be just as readily employed, and that the shape of the discharge receptacle need not be oval in cross. section, but have any desired form, the broad idea of my invention being a can with an outlet in its bottomand a top so constructed as to render it impossible to stand the can on its top, thereby making it necessary to close the outlet in the bottom as soon as the required quantity of the contents has been removed.

hat is claimed is .7

l. A dispensing can having a bot-tom and provided at the top with projecting means for preventing the can from being set up in an inverted position upon a supporting surface, and a cup provided with a side dis charge opening and slidable through the bottom of the can to project it exteriorly and interiorly of the same and to carry the discharge opening below and above the bottom of the can to open and close the said cup, the latter being adapted to drop by gravity to its open position when the can is lifted from a supporting surface and being automatically forced inwardly and returned to its closed position when the can is placed upon a supporting surface.

2. A. dispensing can provided in its bottom with an ovate aperture and having at its top projecting means for preventing the can from being placed in an inverted position upon a supporting surface, an ovate cup open at the top and provided at the outer side with a dischar e opening and slidali" through the said aperture to project it interiorly and eXteriorly to carry its discharge opening above and below the bottom of the can to close and open the cup, said cup being adapted to drop by gravity to its open position when the can is lifted from a supporting surface and being automatically re turned to its closed position when the can is placed upon a supporting surface.

3. A dispensing can having an insert bottom provided with an aperture, a cup open at the top and closed at the bottom and pro- 7 vided with a side discharge opening, said cup being slidably mounted in the aperture and adapted to project interiorly and eX- teriorly of the cup to arrange its discharge opening above and below the bottom of the can and adapted to drop by gravity when the can is lifted from a supporting surface and to be forced inwardly automatically to eturn it to its closed position when the can is placed upon a supporting surface, and means for limiting the inward and outward movement of the cup, the bottom of the cup lying bet-ween the planes of the bottom and the bottom edge of the can when the cup is in its closed position.

t. A dispensing can provided with an insert bottom forming an exterior bottom space or recess above the plane of the bottom edge of the can, said bottom being provided with an aperture, a cup open at the top and having a side discharge opening and slidable through th aperture in the said and below the same to open and closethe cup, said cup being adapted to drop by gravity to its open position when the can is lifted from a supporting surface and being automatically returned to its closed position when the can is placed upon a supporting surface, and a spring arm pivoted to the bottom of the can in the said space or recess and arranged to engage the bottom of the cup for holding the latter in its'closed posi tion. I

5. A dispensing can having a bottom provided with an aperture, a cup open at the top and provided with a side discharge opening and having top and bottom outwardly extending stop flanges, said cup being slidable through the aperture of the bottom to carry the discharge opening above and below the same to open and close the cup and adapted to drop by gravity to an exteriorly projecting position when the can is lifted from a supporting surface and being automatically moved inwardly to its closed position when the can is placed upon a support bottom to carr its dischar e 0 ening above y a a ing surface, and. a washer surrounding the it aperture of the bottom at the lower face thereof and arranged to be engaged by the bottom stop flange.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY w. J. enun'rrunn.

lvitnesses D. G. GRUn'rrNEn, J. A. FITZGERALD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of I 'atents, Washington, D. 03 

